Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-01-14
LEGENDS OF TIE GOLD MINES.

EDITOR RFyIEw. Every old citizen
of southern Oregon has heard more or !
less of the many stories of lost mines |
in this. country. While as a general |
rule people do not credit these stories,
yet there are many who regard them
as true AMI who annually spend time
and money following up these mythes
from one locality to another, and which
like the ig1eus .fatatus is always pur
sued but never overtaken. Some of
these stories are strange and facinatlng
in the extreme. The story of the Lost
Cabin In earlier times was so skillfully
gotten up, and SO probable in its nature
that thousands believed it and doubt
lesslv some do to this day. Having
lived in close proximity to the mines
from boyhood and heard a great many
OF these miner stories I thought per-
haps it would be of interest to the pub
lie to recount some of the most noted
cases. One story which is current in
this locality and which is believed to
be true is the story Of an old Indian
who sported The fanciful name "Old
! Tenas. Man" In the fifties when the
savage tribes of Rogue river were on
the war path, and death and terror
followed in the wake of that tribe of
red demons "Old Tenas Man" was true
and loyal to his pale faced brothers Of
the Umpqua valley and the old citizens
OF this county yet remember him with
feelings of gratitude and kindness. On
many occasions he warned them oil
the approach of danger and thus put
them on their guard and i'll many IN
stances saved life and property by Civ
ing timely warning. In thus befriend
, ing the whites he aroused the bitteres
enmity in his own tribe. He was soci
ally ostracised and driven out from hi
: own people and his life put in eminen
peril. Hostile parties Of Indians raw
aged the Umpqua hills vowlng ven
gence on Old Tenas Man. He how
ever by superior wood-craft elude
pursuit and still stealthily kept tn
!" whites posted on the movement of tn
. hostile tribes. During one Of hi
trips in the mountains near the hea
. waters Of Cow creek in this county h
- is said to have found in the bed Of dr.
: creek large deposit Of pure gold /
nuggets. He brought in several hui
hred dollars in pieces in value frol
one to fifty dollars. He traded thi
for supplies converted it into col
r and soon moved his camp to the hea
D of Myrtle creek where ''cultas
4 white man who was thirsting fc
1t scalps killed him. Before he wa
i murdered he told one of the old settler
Al on the Umpqua where he found I'll
y gold describing the spot as minutel
TO as possible, said there was 'Hiyr
'e plenty of it there. He was going
v pilot his white friend to the place in
al few days but death cut short the jon
ce ney. For years the description of IL
e locality where the gold was obtalne
it was kept profound mystery, but aft
h repeated efforts to find it which
all every instance SO far has proven u
r. successful the description of the san
ed leaked out and became public propert
,al The place is said to be three mool
N. travel g days. from Canyonville
n the head waters Of the longest easte
II tributary of Cow creek in sm'
he ravine which empties its water in WI
90 ter into and alder swamp, the 9th
nd minute marks "Stunted Cedar ire
ch logs fallen in the swamp i'll the for
Id of the letter w have probably disa
ID. peared by the lapse of time and
es will be useless to recount all. Th
n. the old man who first learn
P this story from the Indians believed
no one who knew him would den
k Certain it is that for years he mac
of annual trips spending weeks and weel
it in the search, and since his dccea
d. his son has taken up the story al
r. has also made several trips in scare
IL of the lost mine.
g SKooKUM Boston MAN.